IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:09:21 -0800

A new band from Jakob Dahn of Skywriter? Check it: http://www.myspace.com/moscowambulance
Recommended for fans of Scandinavian melancholy.

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:14:37 -0700

The excellent melancholy Danish rock act Skywriter will have their album "Where both worlds never meet" released in Germany on October 10, so of course they'll also be coming over for a few shows:

10/09 - Kofferfabrik, Fürth
10/10 - Cafe Panam, Leipzig
10/11 - Astra Stube, Hamburg
10/12 - Forum, Bielefeld w/Ef
10/15 - Zwölfzehn, Stuttgart

Hear samples at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/skywriterdk

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 11:12:22 -0800

Danish act Skywriter has posted the new video for the single "Craving utopia": http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3coez_skywriter-craving-utopia-music-vide_music

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:01:06 -0700

Hits in the Car has a new Skywriter track for download: http://stytzer.blogspot.com/2007/10/stream-train-to-utopia.html

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 13:42:00 -0700

Updated tourdates for Danish noir-rockers Skywriter:

10/10 - Forum, Bielefeld (GER) w/Lord Bishop Rocks
10/11 - Gogo Club, Münster (GER) w/Lord Bishop Rocks
10/12 - K4 Club, Nürnberg (GER) w/Lord Bishop Rocks
10/13 - Kulturhof, Lübbenau (GER) w/Lord Bishop Rocks
10/14 - Logo, Hamburg (GER) w/Lord Bishop Rocks
10/15 - Kofferfabrik, Fürth (GER)
10/17 - Pirate Cove, Berlin (GER)
10/19 - Chrämerhuus, Langenthal (SWI)
11/15 - Raahuset, Copenhagen (DK)
11/29 - Astra Stube, Hamburg (GER)
11/30 - Barfly, Schönebeck (GER)
12/01 - Vierradenmühle, Görlitz (GER)

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 16:02:50 -0700

Skywriter's new single "Craving utopia" can now be heard at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/skywriterdk

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700

The playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Timo Räisänen - My valentine
02. TALK 1
03. Torpedo - From Russia with love
04. Desert Planet - Breakout button
05. Ebba Grön - Mamma pappa barn
06. TALK 2
07. The End Will Be Kicks - Don Johnson
08. Skywriter - Where both worlds never meet
09. Skull Defekts - The secret
10. TALK 3
11. Tsukimono - Tokyo OEast
12. Kristin Asbjørnsen - Trying to get home
13. Enemy Alliance - Government subsidized ghetto
14. TALK 4
15. The Indecision Alarm - Where every fucking dream is killed
16. Dismember - Soon to be dead
17. Mixtapes & Cellmates - Moments
18. TALK 5
19. Kristofer Åström - All in
20. Pan Sonic - Virta 1
21. Ulver - Of wolf and fear
22. TALK 6
23. Mainliners - Olivia
24. 120 Days - Let me come down
25. Universal Poplab - 60 is the new 40
26. TALK 7
27. Dag Vag - Popitop
28. The Bombettes - Lust is the new black
29. Breach - Big strong boss
30. TALK 8
31. CS Nielsen - Black spots
32. Tape - Sand dunes
33. The Psyke Project - For us to see for us to help
34. TALK 9
35. Cortex - Shark boys die hard
36. Viola - I don't know how to party
37. Don't Be A Stranger - Lonely together
38. TALK 10
39. Broder Daniel - What clowns are we

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700

The playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Kaizers Orchestra - Ompa til du dør
02. TALK 1
03. Logh - Thieves in the palace
04. Élodie - At the end of the line
05. Beem - Ducker
06. TALK 2
07. Hell On Wheels - Alexander
08. Isolation Years - Albino child
09. Honey Is Cool - Bolero
10. TALK 3
11. Mob - Wait for me
12. Skywriter - For heaven's sake
13. Menfolk - Zero is also a number
14. TALK 4
15. Plain Fade - Datura
16. Division of Laura Lee - Dirty love
17. Det Gamla Landet - Det heliga landet
18. TALK 5
19. Elope - Black eyed citizen
20. Fontän - You, me & a tree
21. Gehenna - Touched and left for dead
22. TALK 6
23. Mustasch - I hunt alone
24. Cobolt - The Atlantic Ocean takes her back
25. Blinders On - Blinders are on
26. Madrugada - Higher
27. TALK 7
28. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - I could have sworn I heard them SING
29. Notre Dame - Into the coven
30. TALK 8
31. The Motorhomes - The man

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Danish melancholy rock act Skywriter has lined up a few new tourdates:

03/16 - Rust, Copenhagen (DK)
04/26 - Apparatet, Copenhagen (DK)
05/23 - MS Stubnitz, Rostock (GER)
05/24 - Duncker Club, Berlin (GER)

Top 10s for 2006: Staff picks

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0800

Not everyone was able to get their lists in on time, but I think you'll find more than enough titles here well-worth investigating, whatever your tastes may be. Enjoy!

Jonas Appelqvist:

01. The Fine Arts Showcase – Radiola (Adrian Recordings)
When Christian released a kinda mediocre record, Gustav stepped up, delivered and restored the honour of the Kjellvander brothers.

02. C.Aarmé – Vita (Burning Heart)
Music for the gut, not the brain. Göteborg's finest punks just recently split up, it's a pity.

03. Hets – s/t (V2/Etikett: Hets)
I was a bit hesitative when I heard that members from Laakso, Fireside and Moneybrother formed a band. They proved me wrong.

04. Raised Fist – The sound of the republic (Burning Heart Records)
This long awaited full-length proved to be exactly what I hoped for. Uncompromising hardcore, this time with hooks!

05. Insurgent Kid – Paranoia (Wasted Sounds)
Just recently released and it went straight into this list. The punkrock on this disc is, in fact, all I ever need.

06. Khoma – The second wave (Roadrunner)
I always knew something good would come out of Plastic Pride.

07. Aerial – Black rain from the nombing (Nomethod)
Epic and almost instrumental post-rock from Sandviken that moved me big time.

08. Tar... Feathers – Make way for the ocean floor to fall to the surface (Release the Bats!)
Self-willed indiepop that sounds like Modest Mouse mixed with Xiu Xiu at times.

09. Darkthrone – The cult is alive (Peaceville)
Pioneers that released their most interesting record since "Total Death". Black-metal with one hell of a punkrockattitude!

10. Cult of Luna – Somewhere along the highway (Earache)
One of the records I've listened to the most in 2006 and it's still intriguing.

Top 3 non-scandinavian records of 2006:
Converge – No heroes (Epitaph)
Electric President – s/t (Morr Music)
Cursive – Happy hollow (Saddle Creek)

Nancy Baym:

01. Hell On Wheels - The odd church (Hybris/PlayRec)
It's catchy, it's quirky, it's consistently strong. And it's interesting too.

02. Skywriter - Where both worlds never meet (Iceberg Records)
The slow ones drag a bit, but the fast songs are a sublime mix of sexy, cool, driving and restrained.

03. Consequences - s/t (BOW/Groover Recordings)
Puts the "infection" in infectious pop. I can't stop listening to it and really don't want to either.

04. Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's block (V2/Wichita)
Not as good as last year's "Falling out", but an okay Peter Bjorn and John record is still better than most.

05. Pelle Carlberg - Everything. Now! (Labrador)
He's thoughtful, he's sensitive, he's twee, but most of all he's the perfect mix of soothing and beautiful. Frazzled nerves be gone!

06. The Phonies - Gran tourettes (Money Laundry Records)
Inconsistent record from Finland's Phonies, but it's best songs are exhuberant enough to carry the rest.

07. Billie the Vision & the Dancers - The world according to Pablo (self-released)
While I'm From Barcelona gets all the buzz, I prefer this. It's kind of mellow, a little dark, sort of conceptual if you bother to figure it out, but most of all, it just sounds good.

08. David & the Citizens - Stop the tape! Stop the tape! (Bad Taste)
David Fridlund's a melodic genius and the music may be better than ever, but Fridlund's angst runs too close to whining too much of the time.

09. Starflower - Moment in the sun (Music Is My Girlfriend)
Tranquil and poppy, youthful and tuneful, it's a gentle little debut from a band I hope will diversify its sound in releases to come.

10. The Charade - Real Life Drama (Skipping Stones)
Half of this is too sweet for me, but the rest is charming as all get out, and "September" easily wins the award for catchiest sugar pop song of the year.

Honorable Mentions:

Sivert Høyem and the Volunteers - Exiles (Hektor Grammofon)
It's not out yet and I've only heard 2 songs, but given his track record with Madrugada and his last solo record, it's guaranteed a spot in my top 10 when I do get to hear the rest.

Tiger Lou - The loyal (Startracks)
It came out in 2005 but now I've finally heard this record. It's got such a cool consistent vibe, such a unique sound, and I'm under it's spell completely.

Matt Giordano:

01. Peter Bjorn and John - Writers block (V2/Wichita)
After last years excellent "Falling out" I expected a great album, but this release just floored me.

02. Loney, Dear - Sologne (Dear John)
Yes, this is technically a re-release, and yes, it's that good.

03. The Fine Arts Showcase - Radiola (Adrian)
This is the new album I listened to most this year, and a it was quite a leap artistically for Mr. Kjellvander.

04. Hell On Wheels - The odd church (Hybris)
This one sat in my room for about a month until one day I brought it in the car with me, and to say the least, I was impressed.

05. Vapnet - Jag vet hur man väntar (Hybris)
"Thoméegränd" instantly hit me with pure pop genuis, and this album is so textured and deep, it has yet to be fully realised.

06. Firefox AK - Madame, madame! (Razzia)
It took me a while, but I have finally realised how genius this album is.

07. Nicolai Dunger - Sjunger Edith Södergran (EMI)
I believe this is Mr. Dunger's most cohesive album to date, and perhaps his most intimate.

08. Sibiria - Inom familjen (Hybris)
Martin A and Martin H put out two stellar albums in one year. Gorgeous.

09. The Knife - Silent shout (Rabid)
This album is both bleak and enchanting.

10. David & The Citizens - Stop the tape! Stop the tape! (Bad Taste)
This album is so solid, and it should silence all of the naysayers.

Other:

Best 2005 release of 2006:
El Perro Del Mar - El Perro Del Mar (Memphis Industries/The Control Group)
Gorgeous, that is the only way to describe the songwriting of Sarah Assbring, and it's good to see the rest of the world catching on.

Top three non-Scandinavian releases:

Tom Waits - Orphans (Anti)
This is absolutely essential.

Nobody & Mystic Chords Of Memory - Tree colored see (Mush)
Another post-Beachwood Sparks work of excellence, now I'm only wishing for Beachwood Sparks to reunite.

My Morning Jacket - Okonokos (RCA)
America's best current live band, and this is their document.

Top ten songs of 2006*
01. Montt Mardié - "My girlfriend is in the Grand Prix finals" from "Science" (Hybris)
02. Peter Bjorn and John - "Paris 2004" from "Writers block" (V2)
03. Kristofer Åström - "So much for staying alive" from "Black Valley" (Startracks)
04. Loney, Dear - "The city, the airport" from "Sologne" (Dear John)
05. Tom Waits - "Bottom of the world" from "Orphans" (Anti)
06. Vapnet - "Thoméegränd" from "Jag vet hur man väntar" (Hybris)
07. The Velvet Teen - "Gyzmkid" from "Cum laude" (Slowdance)
08. Nicolai Dunger - "Lyckokatt" from "Sjunger Edith Södergran" (Dolores)
09. Loose Fur - "The ruling class" from "Born again in the USA" (Drag City)
10. Islands - "Don't call me Whitney, Bobby" from "Return to the sea" (Equator)

*These songs, as well as 31 others appear on my "Best of 2006" mix, which I have made 20 copies of as a double-disc set to give away to the readers of It's A Trap! Here's the deal, the first twenty people to email me at matthew dot giordano at macys dot com with their name and postal address will receive a copy (as well as tracklisting) in the mail. Enjoy.

Kevin Renick, in alphabetical order:

01. Ampop - My delusions (Dennis Records)
Balancing the epic and the emotive is an increasingly dicey proposition as more and more groups on both sides of the Atlantic sacrifice one or the other in the process. Iceland's Ampop gets the blend just right with these 11 surgingly powerful, yet fragile tunes. .

02. El Perro Del Mar - s/t (Memphis Industries)
Possibly the most bubbly, infectious, melodically rich, beautifully sung sad album ever made.

03. Sofia Hardig - The need to destroy (Filthy Records)
An adventurous electronica foray in which Sofia makes an art out of distorted vocals that are nonetheless emotionally wrenching. Dark, machine-laden grooves that grip the soul.

04. The Knife - Silent shout (Brille Records)
By any standard, one of the year's boldest and most significant records, especially for a spooked, tech-savvy, mask-wearin', brother-sister dance-tronica act.

05. Lampshade - Let's away (Glitterhouse)
The sophomore release by this fabulous Swedish/Danish group is just as good as the debut; RebekkaMaria and company fuse primal rock and Scandi sensuality together in a thoroughly compelling manner.

06. Mew - And the glass-handed kites (Sony BMG Music)
A continuously flowing, continuously melodic and dazzling production that got many satisfying spins on my car stereo in 2006.

07. Monty's Loco - Man overboard (NONS)
Take a female vocalist who's like a tougher Emiliana Torrini, add equal parts acoustic/electronic instrumentation, throw in a few dollops of inspired weirdness and mix/produce well. Result: a grabber of an album that tickles the sonic taste buds..

08. Britta Persson - Top quality bones and a little terrorist (Amigo)
I like my Scandinavian music to be a little tart. Britta's debut CD is positively lemony from start to finish, a real standout in a year filled with great records by Scandi girls.

09. Patrik Skantze and the Free Souls Society - Fiction at first view (Mimo Sound)
A master class in inspired prog songcraft, superb guitar playing and the art of channeling diverse influences into your own lovingly prepared recipe.

10. Sonores - Elefanten (Structures Sonores)
As a long-time fan of both atmospheric ambient and mournful female vocals, this texturally absorbing disc had me at "eftermiddag".

Best EP: Detektivbyrån - Hemvägen (Danarkia)
Best CD to reevaluate your life to: Es - Sateenkkarisuudelma (K-RAA-K)
Best reasons to have faith that the spirit of weirdness lives on in Scandiland: The Bear Quartet, Sir Eric Beyond, and Tar...Feathers

Simon Tagestam:

01. Vapnet – Jag vet hur man väntar (album / Hybris)
Vapnet lived up to all my expectations and delivered a fantastic album

02. Moneybrother – De vet ingenting om oss (single / Hacka Skivindustri)
This song came totally unexpected and instantly floored me.

03. Lo-Fi-Fnk – Boylife (album / La Vida Loca)
Very exciting album from Sweden’s new dance kings, now TTA gone all new age.

04. Mattias Alkberg BD - Ditt hjärta är en stjärna (album / A West Side Fabrication)
Third and best album from this Bear Quartet member.

05. Taxi Taxi – Old big trees (song on myspace)
Killer song. Got high hopes for these young twins.

06. I'm From Barcelona - Let me introduce my friends (album / Dolores)
Hate them live, but still love their music.

07. Juni Järvi - Wherever thou art (album / Everlasting)
The surprise hit of the year, a collection of some magnificent songs.

08. [ingenting] - Mycket väsen för ingenting (album / Labrador)
An album that deserved much more attention and praise than it got.

09. Juvelen – Watch your step (song on myspace)
Sounds exactly like Prince when he was at his best. Pretty damn good that is!

10. Sir Eric Beyond and the Avant-Garde - s/t (album / Flora & Fauna)
Weirdest and most wonderful gig at Emmaboda this year where 'Sir Eric', even though he's Swedish, only talked in English in-between songs. He also released a fine record.

Three amazing songs from albums that I wasn't too keen on:
Fattaru – 100 spänn
Hello Saferide – The quiz
Peter Bjorn and John – Young folks

---------------------------

Jonas Appelqvist is in the works of completing the first fullengthrecord with Blinders On, indierock based in Malmö. The band is, as I write this, finished with the mixing and the mastering of the album entitled "Obsolete music", so we should expect a release in January. The 17th, to be precise. More on that after New Year's Eve.

Nancy Baym can be found happily blogging away at Online Fandom and digging music at Last.fm.

Matt Giordano wishes everyone safe, yet wine-filled holidays and New Year's celebrations, and hopes those who'll be getting his "Best of 2006 mix" enjoy them. He also hopes Arsenal can pick up the pace in the premier league and that Scandinavian bands continue to release the world's best music. Here are the new releases he's looking forward to in 2007: two Laakso records, Kristofer Åström, Shout Out Louds, Via Audio, Christian Kjellvander, Spoon, Tiger Lou (I can hope), My Morning Jacket (I can hope), Nick Cave (I think it's about time for another), Moonbabies, Nicolai Dunger, and all Hyrbis releases.

Kevin Renick is exhausted from trying to pare down the list of favorites from a really great year in music.

Simon Tagestam is a regular contributor to IAT and he doesn't really have any plans for 2007, except some vague ideas concerning a Nintendo Wii, his mother's 60th birthday, more tattoos, and badminton.

Tue, 30 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Skywriter CDs now in stock: [click here]

Skywriter Where both worlds never meet Iceberg Records

Fri, 05 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Copenhagen's Skywriter come seemingly out of nowhere to deliver a remarkably strong debut record. Though the sound is completely their own, it's got shades of Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, and (as fearless leader Avi tells us) early Madrugada. The record is also reminiscent of Interpol in how successfully it sets an urban nighttime mood and sees it through to the end. The singer's got a beautiful clear voice, the guitars serve mainly to create atmosphere, and sultry bass lines propel many of the songs. The sound is dark, melancholic, uplifting, deep, and poignant. Lyrically it's a cut above most ("you drag me off my cloud/you walk along with me/the road follows my eye/as far as I can see"). There's not a weak song on here. My only complaints are that my favorite (this week), "This thing never sleeps," isn't even 3 minutes long when I wish it were 4 or 5, and at 37 minutes total, the whole album ends so soon one has to hit replay immediately. Easily my favorite release so far in 2006.

Thu, 04 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Danish noir-rock act Skywriter (as discussed here a few weeks ago) has a new website: http://www.skywritersdrive.com/

Tue, 18 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Did I mention that I'll be posting new music five days a week from here on out? I know that's been the case for the last few weeks, but I'm making it official. It's hard to believe there's so much quality stuff coming out that my posting schedule is booked weeks in advance. I try to be fickle, but there's no arguing with quality.
Today's track comes to us from Skywriter, a dark and brooding rock act from Denmark. Reverbed-soaked guitars and lots of hanging chords, a frontman with a deep-voiced croon, nice sparse arrangements - imagine Madrugada, but more solemn, more sullen. "Dead end street", the song I've posted today, is the centerpiece of the band's debut album "Where both worlds never meet". It smolders with a quiet intensity that builds slowly as it weaves its melodramatic tale of a man's doomed love with a prostitute: "All she ever gave him was a name / every other part of her he paid for / and all he ever wanted was his dream / her worn-out pride, her child inside / who can say love doesn't cost a thing?" Sublime.

MP3: Skywriter - Dead end street

Tue, 18 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0700